A Tale to Tell is what is Told
by Anime Princess
Summary: A theatrical production with Maeve as its leading lady. What could possibly go wrong? With the Nomad crew, plenty! Complete!


_**A Tale to Tell is What is Told **_**  
by Anime Princess**

****The play doesn't belong to me it belongs to the wonderful William Shakespeare.**

**Ed Naha owns Sinbad not I!**

This dark and dreary place made him shake in his well worn travel boots. There was little to no light to see by and all he had as his guide was a tiny ball of cark red light conjured by the one who summoned him.

He didn't even know who it was. All he knew was that he had been practicing for his monthly play, and then a whirl wind of power had sucked him in and then he was here.

The orb had spoken to him in a voice neither male nor female and had ordered him to follow it. He hadn't had much of a choice; either stay and die or follow directions and live.

He was very fond of living his life, so he followed.

With each step an answering echo reverberated ten times through the rocky tunnels he was in. More than once he had stumbled over the sharp stalagmites that gutted out of the pathway, and he cursed whoever it was that brought him here.

But those weren't the worst of it. No, the worst was the dripping water. No matter which way he went or how far he went, the dripping water continued to grate of his ever last nerve. It was driving him crazy!

Finally he arrived in a semi-large chamber with a person standing before him.

This person was covered from head to toe in a dark black cloak tha revealed nothing.

The person handed him a book and a pendant full of dark fire and said in a neutral voice, "For your revenge against Sinbad. Use it well."

He grasped the book and looked at the title scrawled across the top in elegant script, _Torturing Elements_.

He grinned; he couldn't wait to test this out on one of his enemies. Fortunately, he had one enemy in particular in mind.

All he had to do was wait.

He looked at the cloak figure and nodded.

The figure raised its hand, still covered by the cloak, and with a wave of their hand, he vanished like the morning mists with the morning sun.

******

It had been a long and arduous journey.

The sea was calm though, so the crew, at least, had time to rest after the terrible war with Rumina and her skeletal army on the Isle of Tears.

He sighed; Rumina had escaped them once again. He feared what she would do in retaliation to Maeve, but at the same time he was confident that Maeve could match her wit for wit and magic to magic.

In the past year, Maeve's skills had grown, and while her spell casting could use a bit of work, her abilities to improvise with the skills she had already mastered was a thing of awe to watch.

Like right now…

Maeve was currently sitting on the stairs leading up to the tiller with her hands out in front of her and the winds gently teasing her fiery strands of hair out of the loose braid she had pulled it into not an hour ago.

She was attempting to guide the winds in the correct path that would help them reach the Island of Sicily day ahead of schedule.

So far; it was working.

They had already gained a day's worth of travel because of her gentle guidance. This, when you think about her fiery personality, was an astonishing thing to behold. One did not normally connect gentle calmness and Maeve together in one sentence. It was one of the things he loved about her.

He watched her lower her hands and wipe her lightly sweat beaded brow with her long white sleeves and turn to him as she asked, "Sinbad, do you know why the Prince of Sicily wants us?"

When he waved her ahead of him to the bow, their special place on board the Nomad where they could talk in private, he answered semi-seriously, "No, but, if it's what I think it is; it will only lead to more trouble."

*****

The council room was full of self important men and all of them despised him with every fiber of their being. Fortunately or unfortunately, the man, the poet, was not easily intimidated. The 'worldly' men of their lovely island nation, who were only in power thank to their Roman Over-Lords, with the consent of 'Mother Rome', wanted to keep their people isolated and totally dependant on the government.

He on the other hand, while not a revolutionist, was a rebellious man and wanted to show his people the truth of the world.

The world wasn't all roses and riches.

It was filled with death, destruction, and rebirth. One could not have the good without the bad, and this play would show a tiny portion of this. This play would show a person, a rich person, in a bad light, but it was true.

His newest play was based off the story of a lovely young ladies elder sister and her secret husband. The two were madly in love, yet their families were heatedly against one another.

This play would show the lower classes, a small painting of the life style of those whom they adored and hated with the same breath.

One of those men, Lord Markus Deceptus, the Prince's Chief of Island Security was eager to shut him up and said pompously, "Septimus Augustus you will stop this act of play violence this instant!"

Septimus stood straight and argued loudly and proudly, "No Milord! People have the right to know what violence and reality look like!"

*****

It was a clear, warm afternoon when the crew docked and approached the main streets of Secilia. The bustling port city was busy with their afternoon activities and the crew was amused to see many street acrobats and performers showing off their unique talents for money.

Maeve was impressed by one man who was able to bend over backwards and touch his nose to his heels. She tossed him a silver piece with a smile and an enthusiastic clap and he gave her a grand bow in thanks. Sinbad smiled to and tossed him a silver piece as well. The man was good, and a small part of him wanted to compete against this man, but the larger portion of him reminded him loudly that he could **not** touch his heels with his nose no matter how much practice he got in on the Nomad.

As they approached the main city gates, a man dressed in fine cloth and jewels and a train of men following him like Omar's deceptively silly yet loyal men approached them.

The man with a giant smile plastered on his face cried out happily, "God praise us! Sinbad the Sailor! Good to see you once again!"

Sinbad bowed his head and shoulders in respect to his title and said formally as his crew followed his lead, "Hello My prince, and thank you for your call."

Sinbad stood tall once more and asked with a curious but slightly wary tone of voice, "Milord, if you don't mind me asking, why have you called upon me?"

The prince cleared his throat uncomfortably and started, "Well, Sinbad you have become quite the adventurer and you are well known through out the known world, but…"

Sinbad, who had calmed down considerably with the meeting of his old friend, felt his earlier feelings of wariness returned in full force as he asked again, "Yes?"

"Well…your crew is well known to and…"

"And…" replied Sinbad impatiently.

"Well, I was wondering if your powerful sorceress friend would help me out of a slight problem I have?"

Sinbad asked in a confused voice because he couldn't quite understand the Prince's behavior, "Maeve?"

The Prince fiddled with his shirt sleeve in nervousness and answered in short tones, "Yes, you see, you remember Septimus do you not?"

"Aye…he is a great poet and play writer."

He pulled off his hat, wiped his brow of sweat and added with disgust, "Yes, well our star female actress has fallen ill, and I was wondering…"

Maeve, who had been wondering silently to herself just why the Prince wanted her, put two and two together and got four as she put in, in her normal confident tone, "You were wondering if I could fill in?"

The Prince turned to Maeve and answered, "Yes I was going to ask that. Well, will you?"

Maeve looked at Sinbad and saw him shake his head yes that had reinforced with his dimpled grin and replied with a careless shrug, "Sure. Why not? What the plays name?"

The Prince turned back to Maeve and with a knowing smile answered, "Romeo and Juliet."

*****

Once the group reached the Globe, a two story wooden theater that had been built by the popularity of William's works, they were met up with a man with sun bleach blond hair, deep brown eyes, and a roguish smile. Sinbad was instantly wary of him, but the others on the other hand were all smiles; although Maeve was a little nervous.

The man stepped up to them with a self-assured attitude and asked suavely, "Well father, would you introduce me to this lovely lady?"

The Prince frowned at his sons obvious behavior and said curtly in warning, "Harris, I would like you to meet the powerful, very beautiful, and charming sorceress Maeve."

Harris ignored his father's tone, took Maeve's hand, placed a polite and gentle kiss on the back of it and said charmingly, "Pleasures all mine Milady."

Maeve glanced over at Sinbad and giggled nervously as she nodded her head in acceptance to the greeting. While she fully acknowledged her attraction and love for the young sea captain, if only to herself, it was still nice to be treated like a lady every now and again.

But, she would be wary of him. She had learned a very valuable lesson from Vincenzo, and she wasn't about to forget it. She didn't want to be taken a fool by a man every again.

The Prince cleared his throat once more, waved a servant to come up to them and said as the servant produced from somewhere the thick stack or parchment full of writing, "Since you have agreed to be in the play with Harris, here is the script. You will need to have it memorized within the week so you and the rest of the cast can begin to put it all together."

As the Prince walked away, and Harris went back to his flirting with the women around him, Maeve exclaimed and threw down the sewn together parchment stack, "A week! A week! I can't memorize this thing in a week!"

"Easy Maeve," began Sinbad as he picked up the book at her feet, "you'll do fine. You can memorize it easy."

Maeve pierced him with her semi-deadly glare, one of which he had long grown accustomed too and no longer felt as a result of being on the receiving end of it so many times, and said curtly, "Sinbad, I don not have a photographic memory."

Sinbad looked around at the rest of his crew and chuckled while he said, "No but, your sorcery blood should give you a slight advantage with memorizing it all, right?"

Maeve blushed at that and muttered, "O yea…right."

*****

Sinbad and Doubar were resting contently on the broad stomach of a gorgeous apple tree when they heard a familiar step cadence come close to their tree.

He opened one of his eyes and watched Maeve walk by them with her head in the book.

They heard her muttering, "And stint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I."

Sinbad and Doubar looked at one another, and Doubar gently pushed Sinbad forward. She did look over worked and stressed out. The brothers had many discussions about this over the past two days and were worried that their lovely sorceress was over working herself.

"How's it going Maeve?" asked Sinbad as he and Doubar flanked her.

"It is an honor…Oh Sinbad! Doubar! I didn't see you! What'd you say?" but as soon as she asked that her head was back in the book.

Sinbad and Doubar grinned at each other and as Sinbad pulled the book out of Maeve's hands…

"HEY!" she exclaimed while lunging for the book.

"I said 'How's it going Maeve?"

Maeve anxiously wringed her hands together as she exclaimed worriedly, "Oh Sinbad! I can't do this! I can't remember all these lines! I can't even remember what I just said!"

Sinbad placed a calming hand on her shoulder and said soothingly, "Maeve, all you need is a few hours away from this; come join Doubar and me for a picnic lunch."

Doubar added with a grand smile and a hand on her other shoulder, "Yea lass, you could use a break."

Maeve looked between the two and shook her head while she said, "I can't…I have too…"

She stopped as they pulled their puppy dog looks on her. She couldn't refuse.

"Oh all right! I'll be back in a second; I just have to get a few things okay?"

Sinbad replied cheerfully as he watched their resident sorcerer's apprentice eagerly walk down to the docks and boarded the peacefully floating Nomad, "Sure, we'll meet you by Secilia's main gates."

*****

When she was a few feet behind them, Maeve exclaimed cheerfully, "Okay guys! Let's go!"

Sinbad turned to her with a smile and said, "Then let's get going!"

Doubar on the other hand jump a good two feet in the air, once back on the ground he exclaimed, "Lass! Don't do that!"

Maeve gave him a sheepish look while she said, "Sorry!"

As the exited the main city and walked through the country side Maeve said, "You know your right! I really do need a break."

Once they reached the small lake where the picnic was waiting, Sinbad said, "How's about a little fun before we eat?"

Maeve eyed him with a mischievous glint in her eyes and said with an equally mischievous grin, "Sure! But let me change first all right?"

Sinbad with a curious look in his eyes allowed easily, "Sure."

A few minutes later Maeve emerged from behind the bushes and said, "I'm ready."

Sinbad and Doubar turned back to her hand felt their jaws drop, for Maeve was wearing a cotton shift that ended just beneath her bottom and clung to her curves like the dresses she once wore for Vincenzo.

Doubar was the first to speak, "You look very pretty lass."

Maeve blushed and said, "Thank you Doubar."

Maeve turned back to Sinbad and felt her cheeks burn, "Sinbad…"

Sinbad, who was finally able to move his mouth exclaimed, "You look great Maeve! Where'd you get the shift?"

Maeve turned even redder as she answered, "It was in the trunk Queen Nadia gave me. What do you think?"

"You look great in it."

Doubar added with a silly little grin, "He's right Maeve you look very pretty in it."

Maeve ran around the two brothers and into the water. As she came up she waved her hands and sent a small wave of water towards the two sailors.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed as they hit their marks.

Sinbad and Doubar spun around and ran into the water and started splashing her mercilessly.

*****

After a hearty mean of bread, strawberries, cheese, chilled wine, and other fruits and sweets, Sinbad turned to Maeve and said, "How'd you feel now?"

Maeve looked at Sinbad and beamed with excitement and energy as she said, "I feel great! Thank you **so** much for bringing me out here! I really need it!"

Doubar smiled and replied, "Aw Maeve, we're glad you had a good time."

Sinbad tilted his head and asked curiously, "So Maeve, do you think you can recite a couple of lines?"

Maeve pulled out the script from her bag and handed it to Sinbad while she asked, "Could you read any one line from Romeo's part for me?"

Sinbad took the book and replied, "I guess…."

Once he found a place where Romeo and Juliet are both talking to each other he began but somewhere in the middle, unknowingly to him, his voice dropped to match the romance of the lines, _"Ah, Juliet, if the measure of my joy be heaped like mine, and that thy skill be more to blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath this neighbor air, and let rich music's tongue unfold the imagined happiness that both receive in either by this dear encounter."_

Maeve took a deep breath and recited with a sweet yet serious air, _"Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, brags of his substance, not of ornament. They are but beggars than can count their worth; but my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth." _

She looked directly into Sinbad's eyes and asked, "Well…"

Sinbad closed the book and looked at her victoriously and he exclaimed, "You did it! Every word!"

"I did it!? I really did it!" she exclaimed excitedly as Sinbad nodded his head vigorously and smiled at her.

Doubar gave her a big hug and exclaimed proudly, "Congrates Maeve! I knew you could do it!"

Maeve shivered as the late afternoon winds made their presences known and asked haltingly, "Um, guys, could we get back to the palace? I'm kinda cold."

She grabbed her stuff and ran ahead. Sinbad and Doubar laughed as they rushed up to catch up to her. Despite her best efforts to be simply one of the crew, she was a woman, and women were cold blooded. They could never stay warm.

But even they could not see the danger that lied ahead; not even Maeve with her powers of perception could see the potentially fatal disaster which the crew was about to face.

*****

Sinbad who was sitting alone eating an apple, looked up at Maeve as she walked up to him and asked as she fiddled with her free floating locks of hair, "Sinbad…would you walk with me to the Globe?"

He smiled warmly at her and said, "Sure, why not?"

Maeve smiled and offered her hand to him. He accepted it and together they walked to the Globe.

*****

Maeve and Sinbad, who were just arriving, were immediately separated by Harris as he pulled Maeve to the stage with him and ordered the others a little too proudly, "People! People! Listen up! We are going to be really busy from now on, so, everyone must listen to me!"

Since he had nowhere to go, Sinbad went and sat down on the first row.

*****

Harris was excited.

He was anxious to start rehearsals because this play was a romance and a tragedy. Better still, he got to romance the famed sorceress Maeve.

His gaze wandered over her luscious body as he commanded, "Okay, we'll begin at the party…right when I Romeo make my first move on Juliet."

Harris as Romeo lifted Maeve's hand and said roughly with a voice full of covetousness, _"If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this; My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth the rough touch with a tender kiss." _

Maeve looked at the man in front of her, and then at Sinbad.

He nodded once and winked flirtingly.

Maeve rolled her eyes and began with placing her hands in the formation of a person praying, _"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this: for saints have hands that pilgrim's hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."_

As the play continued on, Sinbad's uneasiness which began the moment the Prince asked for Maeve to be in the play increased. No sooner had he thought that, Maeve came storming out with Harris running after her.

"Maeve! We have to get this right!" he argued as he walked up to her.

Sinbad, alarmed now, came up to Maeve and asked as he put his hand on the small of her back, a comforting gesture he has been doing for Maeve for a while now, ever since Dermott was lost in the magical wall about six months ago and asked, "Is something wrong Maeve?"

She sighed heavily, grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door as he said, "Nothings wrong Sinbad…lets just go."

Harris did nothing but watched them go, but he thought, _'I'll get her…it's only a matter of time.'_

*****

As soon as they were far enough from the Globe, Sinbad turned his heels to the earth and tightened his grip on Maeve's hand and asked, "Okay, what really happened in there Maeve?"

Maeve realizing that she wasn't going to be able to deter his attention gave up and answered with crossed arms, "He's being a jerk Sinbad that's all."

Not believing this to be the entire truth, Sinbad gently prodded, "There's got to be something else…"

She bite her lower lip, tightened her hold around herself, turned away from him and answered him in a voice he had never heard from her before, "He…he tried to…to bed me Sinbad."

"What?!" he exclaimed in surprise as he grabbed her hand in order to stop her from running away from him.

"Maeve…what did you say?" he asked again not believing what he heard.

Once more with more shame coloring her voice, Maeve replied, "I said that he tried to bed me Sinbad."

Sinbad turned to her because he heard and named the shame in her voice and said, "No Maeve, don't blame yourself. He's to blame not you."

Growing angry and herself and Harris, Maeve yelled out with tears streaming uncontrollably down her flushed cheeks, "But…I was weak! He was able to gain control over me!"

"O Maeve…shh…don't cry…it's okay." He said softly as he pulled her in for a hug.

Maeve placed her head snugly inside his shoulder and neck and cried.

*****

And that's how Doubar, Rongar, with Dermott perched on his arm, and Firouz found the two an hour later, with Maeve sitting on Sinbad's lap crying and him trying to comfort her anyway he possibly could.

"Shh…Maeve…it's going to be okay. He's not going to lay another finger on you, I promise."

"Really Sinbad?" asked Maeve in a quivering voice as she raised her head and looked deeply into his eyes.

Sinbad felt his heart break at her words. His beautiful sorceress, usually so full of confidence and pride, was reduced to a timid woman all because some man thought that all women were made for one simple thing.

If he ever got his hands on Harris, he'd skin him alive without hesitation.

Nobody harmed his lady, no one.

He answered as he lifted her chin with his finger, "Have I ever broken my word to you?"

Maeve smiled and whipped her red eyes as she answered, "No, no you haven't. Oh Sinbad! I'm sorry! You're all wet!"

"It's okay Maeve, I don't mind, and besides I'll dry; all that matters now it that we put Harris back in his place and tell the Prince."

"Tell the Prince what little brother?" asked Doubar from behind the couple.

"What! Doubar! How long have you been standing there?" asked Sinbad as he stood up, and saw Maeve quickly wipe her eyes again.

Doubar answered promptly, but towards the end his voce had gained a harder edge to it, "We've been here long enough to know that Harris did something to Maeve, so what'd he do?"

"It's nothing really Doubar." Said Maeve trying to convince the gentle giant, but not succeeding.

Doubar placed a claming hand on her shoulder and pointed out gently, "Maeve, nothing doesn't make you cry; it has to be something."

"Harris…he…I…he…" she didn't finish.

She turned around sharply and ran in the opposite direction, away from the guys.

"Sinbad? What did that no good son of a wh*re do to make my Little One cry?" asked Doubar as he and the others looked at the young man in front of them, who was watching the sorceress' retreating back.

Sinbad turned back to his friends and replied in a cold voice, "That no good son of a b*tch tried to bed Maeve."

"What?!" exclaimed Doubar and Firouz in anger.

If Rongar could have, he would have yelled too, but the best he could do was look surprised and ball his fists.

Dermott, for a hawk, looked extremely mad too.

Sinbad repeated with a harsh glare to them all, "I said he tried to bed Maeve."

"Why I outta…" began Doubar as he balled up his right fist.

Sinbad placed a hand over Doubar's fist and ordered, "Doubar, could you go to the Prince and tell him that Maeve will not participate in the play, while I go after Maeve?"

"Sure thing little brother."

'_And if I see that no good *ss of a man I'll…' _

"And Doubar…don't try anything on Harris…"

"But Sinbad! He…"

Sinbad's glare returned with full force as he commanded again, "NO…he's mine."

Then he turned and ran in the direction Maeve had previously took; hoping to catch up to her and comfort her once more.

*****

It had taken them three hours of waiting impatiently before they could gain an audience with the Prince.

Doubar was nearing his wits end. They had never had to wait this long before to see anyone, and all this waiting while Maeve was endanger and depressed was not helping his short fuse.

Firouz, who had more patience due to his occupation as a scientist, was also close to loosing his temper like one of his throwing sticks already lit and ready for battle.

Rongar, the most patient out of them all, Sinbad and Maeve included, was even closure to anger than the other two. Rape was the one thing that really set him off. To have it almost happen to a loving friend like Maeve was something he couldn't stand. He wanted revenge and he wanted it now!

"…and that's why Prince." Ended Firouz calmly, but all present could tell he was anything but calm.

The Prince asked in disbelief, "So, you're saying that my son tried to bed Maeve, and now she's not going to be in the play?"

"Yes, you have a problem with that?" asked Doubar with warning in his voice.

The Prince shook his head and said placating, "No, I'll talk to my son immediately."

"Now, if you excuse me, I have to call my son."

As they left the Prince's lounge, Doubar, Rongar, and Firouz had a feeling that they had been had. So as one they turned and rushed back to the Nomad and waited for Sinbad and Maeve to return, so they could discuss their current problem.

*****

Maeve sobbed out, "Oh Sinbad…I…I can't go through with this."

"Maeve…shh…nobodies going to force you into fulfilling your promise to go through with the play."

"But I promised!"

Sinbad exclaimed with an angry but loving tone, "Your promise was broken the minute Harris tried to bed you!"

"You know…your right! But…I want to do the play, but I don't want to do the play!"

Sinbad caressed her cheek and said soothingly, "Maeve, that's perfectly reasonable. You have worked hard at memorizing all the lines; you should get the chance to star in this play, but I won't allow you to if Harris is going to play Romeo."

Maeve glared at Sinbad then softened her gaze as an idea formed in her head…

'_O get a grip Maeve he'd never go for it.' _

"Maeve what are you thinking?"

Maeve blushed a little and stuttered out, "I…I was wondering…would you…could you…"

Despite the situation, Sinbad couldn't help but grin a little as he asked, "Could I what?"

She quickly ended with red cheeks, "Could you play Romeo?"

"I…"

'_She wants me to play…Romeo…a love story with her…Oh YES!' _

"Sure Maeve, I'll play Romeo if you'll be my Juliet."

*****

In a small antechamber off the main corridor, the same cloaked person who gave him the book, gazed at him and reprimanded sharply, "They're catching on to you Harris."

Harris snorted, crossed his arms and said snootily, "It's only a matter of time now, and Sinbad will soon come to know the pain and suffering like I have."

*****

As Sinbad and Maeve came up the dirt street, Dermott screeched to get their attention. They looked up, and since Maeve didn't have her gauntlet, Sinbad raised his left wrist up into the air and watched Dermott land on his rainbow bracelet.

Dermott flapped his wings and screeched twice.

Sinbad looked at Maeve she answered, "He says that Doubar and the others are waiting for us on the Nomad."

Sinbad raised his arms and gently pushed Dermott off so he could fly off, and said, "Well then, let's go."

*****

Once on board the couple found their friends sitting around the table in the galley. Each man had a serious, brooding look about their eyes. Neither Sinbad nor Maeve liked the possibilities that were more then likely running about in their heads.

"What's up gang?" asked Sinbad as he and Maeve sat down with their friends.

"We have the feeling that the Prince and Harris have made us out to be fools."

"What? Why would the Prince do something like that?" asked Sinbad confused.

Firouz answered stoically, "Because Sinbad when I explained to the Prince why Maeve wasn't going to be in the play, he didn't seem too surprised, like he knew something like this was going to happen."

Sinbad supported his long time friend and said, "So that could mean anything."

"True but, why would he not be worried that his only son tried to bed Maeve?"

"Maybe because Harris has tried to bed a lot of women before."

Doubar shook his head and said in defeat, "I don't know Sinbad, this time I have a feeling that they are up to something."

*****

The voice of the cloak figure echoed in his ears without a body to match to it, "So Harris, what do you plan to do to the little peasant witch?"

Harris grinned evilly and said chidingly, "Now, now, I can't tell you that. What if she is spying on me? My plan would be ruined if I told."

*****

As the group of friends made their way back to the Globe, Harris stopped them in front of the doors.

Sinbad instinctively put himself in front of Maeve to protect her. Doubar and Firouz placed their hands near their weapons, and Rongar twirled one of his daggers through his talented fingers.

"What do you want Harris?" asked Sinbad harshly.

Harris spoke with a practiced air of nobility, "I wish to apologize to Maeve for what I did, it was uncalled for and disrespectful of me…I am very sorry."

Maeve jumped ahead of Sinbad and exclaimed heatedly, "Harris I don't care if you apologize to me a million times! I'm not going to play in this play as long as you're going to be Romeo."

Rather smartly, Harris pointed out, "But nobody else knows Romeo's lines."

Maeve responded in an equally smart tone, "Not true, Sinbad does."

Harris crossed his arms smugly and asked lightly like he hadn't a care in the world, "Oh really? And how would he know them?"

Maeve copied his tone in mock seriousness and ended, "He helped me rehearse my lines."

Harris nodded his head and said, "Well then…you two had better get ready. The play begins at two."

*****

Inside the changin rooms, Sinbad bemoaned the fact that he would do anything Maeve desired just to see her smile. He hadn't acting, and yet here he was getting ready to perform on stage all because she turned those gorgeous brown orbs of fire upon him.

He really needed to find a way to immunize himself against those. They would be the end of him.

'_But what a way to go…'_

Sinbad didn't hear the subconscious whispers, but his heart and mind agreed with the notion all the same.

With a heavy knock on the thick door, Doubar yelled out, "Hey Sinbad! Are you ready yet?!"

Doubar had to nearly glue his ear to the door in order to hear the tiny muffled voice of his brother, "I'm almost ready!"

*****

"Maeve! Come on already!" yelled Firouz as he and Rongar waited impatiently for their friend.

She yelled back as she opened the door, "I'm coming! I'm coming already!"

"Well? How do I look?" she asked as she turned in a slow circle modeling off the dress.

Firouz and Rongar looked at each other with open mouths then back at her and Firouz said for them both, "Wow! You look great!"

Rongar nodded his head in agreement, for she was wearing a virgin white full length dress. It was off the shoulders, tight, with lace hugging her chest and had a low cut front that made a shallow 'V' showing a hint of cleavage. It also flared out in a big hoop skirt with lace and pearls decorating it.

Maeve blushed and said, "Thanks, but this is only the first scene's outfit."

Firouz slightly flustered at seeing her in such a beautiful outfit, much like he and the others had been when they had been on the island where Vincenzo had bewitched the entire kingdom in order to gain complete control, "What? You mean you have more outfits?"

"Yep, I have five; one for each scene."

*****

"Sinbad!"

"All right! I'm ready let's go." Said Sinbad as he stepped out of his dressing room wearing tight dark, bluish-gray pants, a black belt with a stylish sword attached to it, a white ruffled shirt, a bluish-gray top shirt, and black boots.

Doubar in an attempt to calm his brother said soothingly, "You'll do fine Sinbad."

"I don't know why I agreed to this! I hate doing things like this Doubar!"

"I know, but Maeve needs your help in this...she asked and you agreed, so now your going to play her Romeo."

A familiar female's voice greeted them from behind, "Gee, you make it sound like a chore, Doubar."

"Maeve!" exclaimed Sinbad as he turned around.

She commented him with a smile as she looked him up and down, "Sinbad, you look good in Romeo's clothes."

Sinbad blushed and said, "Thanks, you look great too."

Maeve blushed too and said, "Come on…we have a play to get to."

*****

As the Globe filled up with people from all walks of life, the Prince walked up to the stage and said, "May God bless you all my good people! Today is the day you have all been waiting for! The play written by Septimus Augustus: Romeo & Juliet!"

Once all the clapping and cheers had dwindled down he continued in a gloomy tone, "Unfortunately my son and Romada cannot play in this play due to sickness, but the famous Sinbad the Sailor and his sorceress crew mate, Maeve, have agreed to fill in as Romeo and Juliet. And without further ado, let the play begin!"

*****

As the first scene continued, Sinbad was feeling quite happy that he had agreed to play Romeo as Maeve responded to his last line.

"_Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." _

Sinbad smiled and said teasingly and huskily, _"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." _

Maeve's own smile grew as she said teasingly, _" Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." _

Sinbad was close to laughing as he said as he moved his body in close to hers, _"Then move not while my prayers' effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sine is purged." _

Then he kissed her softly on the lips; though to be honest he was tempted to make it deeper.

After the kiss she answered with an amused smile and flirty voice, _"Then have my lips the sin that they have took?"_

Sinbad looked surprised, and with a look of an idea forming in his head replied, _"Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."_

Then he kissed her once again, this one was a little more passionate than the last one.

It left them both out of breath and secretly aching for more.

*****

Doubar and the others couldn't stop smiling as they watched their friends continue the first love scene, but someone who was also watching was thinking something quite differently.

'_This will be Sinbad's final fifteen minutes!' _

*****

As the curtains closed, not allowing the audience to see the actors behind stage changing the scenes, Sinbad said, "One down…"

Maeve added as a reminder with a small smile, "Four to go Sinbad."

*****

But silently as a cat, a hooded person hiding in the shadows, took out a saw and began to cut the wood that held the balcony up, and just as silently left the stage.

*****

Sinbad knocked on his friend's door as he said, "Come on Maeve! The curtains about to go up!"

"I'm coming!" she called back as she opened the door.

Sinbad stared at her and felt his jaw hit the ground, for Maeve was wearing a virgin white silk, thin dress that left little to nothing to the imagination.

Sinbad felt the ugly rearing head of jealousy rise up within his breast as he exclaimed, "Maeve! I'm not going to allow you to go out and wear that!"

Maeve laughed and replied, "Don't be silly! I have a white cotton cloak to cover myself with."

He stumbled for a come back, but said instead, "Oh…okay…let's go."

*****

As the curtain came up, Sinbad walked out, started to climb the tree that leaned against the terrace and said softly, _"He jests at scars that never felt a wound." _

Maeve as Juliet walked through the fake window above him and leaned over to cast her gaze upon her fake garden.

Maeve placed her head in her hand and said in a love-sick tone of voice, _"Ay me!"_

Sinbad smile grew as he spoke his lines then waited to hear hers.

"_Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet." _

Sinbad smiled and said, (aside) _"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?" _

Maeve smiled and replied to him but not to him with a breathy voice full of young love and lust, _"'Tis but thy name which is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor a hand, nor foot, now an arm, nor a face, nor any other part belonging to a man? But be some other name. That which we call a rose by any other name smell as sweet? So Romeo would were he not Romeo call, retain thy dear perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; and for thy name, which is no part of thee, take all myself." _

Sinbad appeared from the shadows and said proudly, _"I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; henceforth I never will be Romeo." _

Juliet stepped back in surprise as she demanded, _"What man art thou, thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my councel?" _

"By a name…AH!!!!" yelled Sinbad as the wooden balcony gave way and he fell twenty feet to the ground below.

"SINBAD!!!!!!!!" screamed Maeve scared as she climbed down as fast as she could careful not to get the dress caught or fall by the same means that her friend did.

"SINBAD!" exclaimed Doubar and Firouz as they rushed to his aid.

Rongar was right behind them both. Maeve, by the time the three men got to their side, was already there and gently shaking him.

As she kissed his temple, she asked softly, "Sinbad…Sinbad…can you hear me?"

In the audience everyone held their breaths.

*****

"Well Firouz…is he okay?" asked Doubar.

"He just has a nasty bump on his head, but other than that he should be fine!" yelled Firouz loud enough for everyone to hear.

"How did this happen?" asked Maeve as she placed Sinbad's head in her lap.

Suddenly Rongar appeared and his hand became a flurry of motion.

"What?! Are you sure?!" asked/demanded Doubar as he gripped the moors shoulders.

Rongar shook his head 'yes' and pointed to the broken pieces on the ground, and then to Dermott who was perched on the balcony, more to the point where the balcony broke.

Doubar looked at Maeve and Firouz and saw their worried expressions and said, "I'll check it out."

"No…Rongar…should go with you."

"I can take care of myself lass."

"Aye I know that Big brother, but I'd feel better if Rongar went with you." She replied as she looked him straight in the eye and gave him a puppy dog look, with innocent eyes.

Doubar sighed in defeat and then looked to Rongar. He had a smile on his face as he shrugged his shoulders and waved Doubar in front of him.

*****

'_Hum…Sinbad is still alive…well…I'll just shake things up for him.' _

*****

As Maeve placed Sinbad's head back on the ground, and stood up as she said, "I'm going to find out what happened and when I do…I'm seriously going to hurt someone."

Firouz looked up at her and said, "I'll get your scurrying bowl."

Maeve shook her head and replied, "No, I don't need it this time."

Firouz looked at her with confusion in his eyes as he asked, "Then how…?"

Maeve smiled and walked over to the broken pieces of wood, stole a glance at Doubar and Rongar to make sure they were okay, looked back at Sinbad and Firouz, and finally placed her hands on the pieces.

She was assaulted by visions of why the accident happened.

She gasped as she removed her hand.

"What happened lass?"

Maeve looked over at her 'big brother' and said one word that turned Doubar's gentle nature into a rage, "Harris."

Doubar punched his hands together and growled, "Let me at him."

With eyes glowing with power, Maeve growled, "Doubar, calm down and I'll handle him."

The audience who had remained quiet up till now gasped with surprise and wonder.

Maeve raised her hands and chanted,

"_**Hail to the guardians of the East,**_

_**By the power of Air and Intellect,**_

_**I beseech thee.**_

_**Send to me the influence of the four winds,**_

_**Bring to me the powers of thy creativity.**_

_**Hail to the guardians of the East,**_

_**By the power of Air and Intellect,**_

_**I beseech thee,**_

_**Bring to me thou evil ones with evil deeds!"**_

There was a flash of white light and strong winds that blew throughout the Globe, and then nothing. Once everyone was able to see again, they saw Harris and the black cloaked person standing in the middle of the room holding one of Maeve's magic books.

"I believe that belongs to me." Drawled Maeve as she pointed her finger at Harris and an orange-ish lighting bolt shot out and hit the book.

It levitated out of the Harris' hands and back into her own. Then with another wave of her hand, he was frozen in place.

"Now, why in Allah's name would you want Sinbad dead Harris?" asked Maeve as she waved her hand over Sinbad's body and levitated it over to her.

The black cloaked person chuckled and lowered the hood the covered their face.

The crew gasped out loud in shock and disbelief.

Maeve couldn't believe what she was seeing, Turok was back in the living world once more!

"I was the one to plan this, he is just my pawn." Crackled the black sorcerer.

Maeve frowned at the thought.

Turok wasn't the kind of man to use others so directly in his manipulations, so it had to mean that he was weaker than what he was showing them.

"This isn't your style Turok, you must still be weak from the reanimation." Pointed out Maeve as a fireball flew from her hand at him.

He dodged it; confirming Maeve's theory.

He growled and said as he vanished in the winds, "I'll get my revenge soon enough peasants!"

Maeve unfroze the spoiled man and waited for his explosion. She didn't have long to wait.

He jumped and his arms flared out as he growled out, "You don't know do you? You see Sinbad and I have met before, and he ruined me, so I'm getting my pay back."

"How did he ruin you?" asked Doubar trying to remember everything he could about the last time he was in Secilia.

"He just killed my only love!"

Maeve exclaimed heatedly, "Sinbad has never killed anyone for revenge!"

"You're right, I've never killed anyone in revenge, but it's not a person who he loved, but his slaves." Sinbad groaned out as he walked up to his brother and friends.

"Slaves?" asked the Prince with venom in his voice.

"Now father…I did it so we could finally be free of house hold chores! I did it for our right to be lazy!"

"Slaves…I have never in my life allowed slaves in Secilia! Sinbad, when did this happen?"

"About seven years ago if I remember correctly. Now I know why Harris looked so familiar to me."

"Yes seven years ago…and I will destroy you!" he yelled as a red lighting blot shot out of his finger tips and headed straight for Sinbad.

"No!" yelled Maeve as she jumped in front of Sinbad. Her body flashed red for a second then went back to normal.

"MAEVE!" yelled Sinbad, Doubar, and Firouz and if Rongar and Dermott could talk they would have as they all rushed to her side.

"Firouz! Help her!" Sinbad exclaimed in anguish.

Before Firouz could move her body began to wrinkle up.

"Firouz! What's happening to her!?" asked Sinbad with wide and fearful eyes.

"It looks like she's becoming mummified!" he exclaimed.

Sinbad gently placed Maeve's body on the ground and drew his stylish sword wishing for his scimitar though.

Sinbad demanded hotly as he placed the flimsy sword at Harris' neck, "What kind of spell is that?! Release her from it now!"

"No."

Sinbad with rage filling his soul demanded, "And why not?"

"Well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind for your death Sinbad, but having the one you love die slowly and painfully seems even better because you will forever be guilty and never forgive yourself."

Before Sinbad could do anything, he raised his hand in the air and said, "Zoo ah Zoo li…wind send me to flee!"

Sinbad knowing the spell and what it was for, sliced his sword across Harris's neck, but was to late…

Harris was gone with the wind.

"Sinbad what do we do? Firouz can't help Maeve…"

"I know Doubar…" began Sinbad but was interrupted by a voice.

"_**By the way…did I forget to mention that Maeve has less than an hour left to live???"**_ then it was gone.

"An hour!" exclaimed Sinbad. He felt like his insides were being torn apart.

'_Sinbad…go to the Nomad and find Maeve's magic books.' _

Sinbad turned his head around left and right trying to find the unfamiliar voice that seemed to know him so well, "Who said that?"

Doubar replied with worry in his voice, "Sinbad nobody said anything."

'_Sinbad they can't hear me…it's me Dermott. Go to the Nomad get her books and come back here.' _

Sinbad announced sharply, "I'll be right back."

Doubar asked sharply as well because he thought his little brother would go after Harris, "Where are you going little brother?"

"Relax Doubar. I'm going to the Nomad to get Maeve's books. Maybe there will be an answer in them somewhere."

*****

Inside Maeve's cabin, Sinbad looked around and around.

'_Where are they Dermott?' _

'_Look in the trunk.' _

As Sinbad opened the Celtic designed trunk, it began glowing.

"Dermott???"

'_Don't mind the glow. It's a protective spell; to see if the person opening the trunk is good or evil. Just get the books and let's go! My sister's time is running out!' _

'_Sister's??? Dermott is Maeve your sister?' _

'_Yes.' _

'_And Rumina turned you into a hawk didn't she? That's why Maeve wants Rumina dead so badly.' _

'_Correct captain.' _

*****

Sinbad had grabbed as many books as he could. He only prayed he had grabbed the right one.

"Hey guys, each one of us is going to have to look through one book if we are going to save Maeve in time."

Firouz pointed out sadly for the linguistics of the book were of ones he had never seen before, "But none of us know magic Sinbad."

"He's right little brother, all these marks look just like scratches to me."

'_Dermott???' _

'_Tell them to think about her, and all will be shown.' _

"Think about Maeve while looking at the writing."

The others gazed at Sinbad as if he had lost his mind, and maybe he has, but instead of arguing about it they did as they were told. As they each pictured their friend, the pages suddenly began to glow, and to their amazement the words became as clear as water.

*****

Thirty minutes later, Doubar tossed the book aside and said sadly, "Nothing in that one either."

Firouz replied sadly too, "I came up empty as well."

Rongar just hung his head.

Sinbad on the other hand, as he reread the page in the book he was searching through, suddenly jumped up and exclaimed happily, "I found it!"

"What do we have to do?!" exclaimed Doubar with tears and excitement coloring his voice.

"We have to fix this mixture and get her to drink it."

"That's all?" asked Firouz surprised that the answer was that easy.

"That's all."

"Then lets get started!" exclaimed Doubar as he continued, "So what ingredients do we need?"

"Rosemary, fresh water, rose petals, and thyme."

"I'll get the Rosemary and rose petals." Volunteered Doubar as he ran out of the Globe faster than Sinbad has ever seen him.

"And I'll get the fresh water and thyme." Said Firouz as he rushed out after Doubar.

"Rongar my friend, I need you to get Maeve's casting bowl from the Nomad."

Rongar nodded and ran out, but instead of heading inland, he headed out to sea where the Nomad sat waiting patiently.

*****

Once everyone was back, Sinbad said, "Okay guys give the ingredients."

As Doubar, Rongar, and Firouz gave Sinbad all the things they were assigned to get, suddenly a soft golden light surrounded the room. Once the light disappeared, everyone saw an elderly woman standing before them.

"Caipra!" exclaimed the crew.

Rongar looked surprised and Dermott screeched his hello and surprise too.

The wife of DimDim answered serenely, "Hello my son. I sensed something was wrong with Maeve."

With distress in his voice, Sinbad explained, "A spell was cast on her and now she has a little more than ten minutes left to live! We found the counter spell, but we don't know how to make potions! And none of us have the magic within to make the potion work."

"Then it was a good thing I came. Give me the ingredients."

As the ingredients were placed in front of her, her eyes grew wide as she recognized them and exclaimed, "A Mummified curse! Who did this!?"

Sinbad answered with venom in his voice, "The Prince's son…Harris."

"Now Sinbad, don't let vengeance cloud your mind…" began Caipra as she poured a hand full of rosemary into her hand. The liquid, as it touched her hand, began glowing. Once the rosemary was once again normal, she let it empty into the bowl by falling through her fingers.

Then she picked up three rose petals and continued, "You must keep a clear head in order to help Maeve come back to this realm."

"What? You mean her spirit has left this plan?" asked Sinbad as he watched the petals levitate above the conjuring bowl in the form of a circle for a few seconds then gently settle in their circular formation in the bowl.

"Yes…" replied Caipra as she picked up the thyme and mumbled a few incoherent words. The thyme flashed a whitish blue color then she tossed it into the bowl.

"What do I have to do?" asked Sinbad getting fidgety because Maeve's time was fast ending.

Caipra answered as she poured a hand full of fresh water into her hand and watch it glow a soft golden color, "You must be her physical reminder. You must help her find her was back to this realm."

While it was still glowing she opened her hand up and watched it fall into the conjuring bowl.

"The potion is complete. Place it in a cup and place it against her lips. The liquid must touch her lips in order for the potion to work. Then as her body begins to shift out of this realm, you must be sure you have a physical bond to her, and pull her back." Ordered Caipra as she stood up and moved to the still withering sorceress.

"Sinbad you must succeed."

"I will Caipra I promise."

"Yes, I know you will, but I don't want to lose the only daughter DimDim and I ever had to this Harris." Was all she said as she misted away leaving behind four surprised men.

"Firouz get a cup now!" exclaimed Sinbad as he watched Maeve's beautiful skin start to fall off.

"Hurry we don't have much more time!"

"Here it is!"

As Sinbad poured the liquid into the cup, Harris appeared.

"Don't worry about him little brother! You just get Maeve back!" yelled Doubar as he and the others charged Harris.

Sinbad placed the cup to her lips and raised it so the liquid would fall towards her lips. As the potion touched her lips, her body began to glow. Then just like Caipra said, her body began to faze out. Sinbad as gently as he could, without snapping her already too fragile neck, brought her head to his and gently placed a loving kiss on her lips.

Suddenly he too began to glow.

In response to the magic that was working, Sinbad's bracelet began to glow.

The light green of the bracelet's power, increased and surrounded them both as Sinbad whispered against her lips, "Don't leave me my love."

*****

Suddenly there was a flash of bright light, and the next thing everyone knew, Maeve and Sinbad were kissing each other with a passion that could set the world on fire!

"Um little brother! Lassie! Come on snap out of it!"

Maeve and Sinbad broke apart and smiled at each other as they stood up. The audience was astounded. Maeve dusted off her white silk dress, pulled the cotton cloak over it, and raised her left hand. A beam of orange-ish light shot out of her hand and hit Harris just before he called forth a dark blue fireball which was aimed at Doubar's chest. The audience gasped, for Harris was on the ground screaming in pain.

"Now Harris, lets see how well you take your medicine."

As Harris continued his screaming in pain, Maeve continued, "How do you like it? It hurts doesn't it? You should feel happy that the pain is only physical. You on the others hand, sent me to another realm; a realm where mental pain is far, far, far worse than physical. The pain you are feeling is not even the tip of the ice burg as to what I was feeling."

She waved her hand again and finished, "So, now that you have had a taste of your own medicine…your free."

Harris got up and asked with a shaky voice, "That's it?"

Maeve looked at him as if he had grown another head and asked, "What else do you want me to do?"

Harris added hurriedly, "Nothing! I just thought that you'd do something else."

"Well unlike you, I never let innocent people die. Though you are not what I'd call an innocent…"

"Okay I get your point…"

"No you don't. I let you go, but not scott free."

"Hum…" asked Harris with a feeling of dread.

Maeve calmly raised her hands in the air and said,

"_**You that has cause crime,**_

_**through this portal you shall go till your prime!"**_

Suddenly a portal appeared, a strong gale of wind came forward, sent him flying into the portal, and disappeared within it never to be seen again.

Then the next thing the crew knew, the audience was clapping and cheering.

"Sinbad! Hey Sinbad!" came a voice from the crowd.

Sinbad turned around and saw a man come running up to him and his crew, "Septimus!"

The two men shook hands and Septimus exclaimed, "Wow! It's good to see you again my friend; how long has it been? Six? Seven years?"

"Seven my friend." Replied Sinbad with a smile.

"Hello Doubar nice to see you again." Replied Septimus as he looked to the gentle giant.

Doubar grinned and greeted, "Septimus."

"Now Sinbad who is this vision of beauty?"

"This is my lady Maeve."

"Hello Maeve I am Septimus Augustus."

"It's an honor to meet you Septimus. I must say you have a gift."

"I may have a gift to writing, but you my dear have the gift of something so much more."

"Thank you."

Sinbad stepped in then and said, "I believe we have a play to finish!"

Everyone laughed and Doubar replied, "Here, here little brother!"

*****

The play had gone on without a hitch, and Maeve had never looked more beautiful; what with her lace, silk, and hoop, virgin white dress in the first act, her virgin, white silk night gown and matching cloak in the second act, with her white chemise and see through cover up in the third act(when Romeo & Juliet have their special night), her white evening gown that hugged her broadest, swooped into a shallow 'V' revealing just a hint of cleavage, and flared out at the hip, but just hung from her hips, and her green funeral dress that hugged her in all the right places, swooped down into a 'V' showing two inches of cleavage, and green vale, for act five.

As the actor who was playing the Prince concluded the play by saying, _"A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun shall not show his head. Go hence, to have more of these sad things; Some shall be pardoned and some punished; For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo."_

The crowd clapped once again cheering enthusiastically.

Once the curtain had dropped, Sinbad and Maeve stood up and Maeve exclaimed, "We did it! We're done!"

Sinbad smiled and said, "It was great! You were fantastic Maeve!"

"And so were you Sinbad." Replied Maeve with a shy smile.

"Come on Maeve! Sinbad! It's time for curtain call!" called a voice ahead of them.

Sinbad took Maeve's hand within his and pulled her out from behind the curtains for all to see.

As Maeve walked out, people began cheering and clapping even louder and a little boy about eight or nine years old came rushing out with a bouquet of red roses.

He shyly walked up to Maeve and as he handed her the flowers said, "You're very pretty. These flowers are for you."

Maeve smiled and replied as she took the flowers and sniffed them, "Thank you kind sir. They're beautiful."

The small boy blushed and ran off.

After all the people had left, the Prince said, "I'm sorry for all the trouble Harris caused Sinbad."

"It's okay Milord."

The Prince nodded and turned to Maeve, "Harris is not dead is he?"

Maeve shook her head _'NO'_ and said, "No, he will just remain in the dimension I sent him till he is in his prime years, Milord."

"Well, I guess you will be leaving now yes?"

"Yes my liege, we are. We are starting to get behind schedule as of now." Replied Sinbad as he and the Prince shook hands.

"Well…let the seas be calm and your journey peaceful."

Sinbad nodded and turned to the sea, leading his crew on to wherever the winds see fit.


End file.
